Pennsylvania authorities have ten days to retrieve doctor wanted in wife's murder

Local
-
7/29/2013 5:53 PM
by Karen Franklin

BECKLEY - Pennsylvania authorities have 10 days to retrieve a doctor arrested in West Virginia last week for the murder of his wife.

Dr. Robert Jospeh Ferrante, 64, appeared in Raleigh County court Monday afternoon. He and public defender Marcia Hebb decided to waive an extradition hearing, which means Ferrante will return voluntarily to Pensylvania authorities.

The doctor was arrested Thursday night in Ghent after state police spotted him traveling through the area. Authorities believe ferrante poisoned his wife, Dr. Autumn Klein, with cyanide.

"From our standpoint, that's a very pro forma hearing," said Andy Dimlich of the Raleigh County Prosecuting Attorney's Office. "We have these all the time. They're called fugitives from justice, and I would say in 99 out of 100, if not more -- they waive their right to the hearing in West Virginia and go back to the state that wants them."